Shadowed Truths and Grimy Lies
by Nayeri
Summary: When Harry is accused of impregnating a girl, it unveils several truths that he had tried to suppress. Will his friends stick by him, or will it be up to two unexpected allies to help the wizarding world see sense? Answer to JAWorley's Challenge Father Not to Be
1. Dirty Lies

(Author's note: Now, this had been playing through my head for awhile now, so I decided: Why not? Done for the 'Father Not To Be' Challenge. None of this is mine, except perhaps the plot line and any OCs. Without further ado, on we go.)

Harry groaned softly, feeling his tender cheek and eye where a meaty fist had caught him. It had been another bad day at the Dursley's, and Dudley had been crueler than usual. And without Sirius to write to, he was practically alone on Privet Drive. Even Ron and Hermoine hadn't written him, though it had been nearly a month since the end of their fifth year.

Though he didn't understand yet, he suspected he would soon. There was a heaviness in the air, despite the chill that the Dementors had brought all over England. Harry knew this heaviness, had felt it before when something life-changing was about to happen. So when he heard the distinct _Crack_ of Apparation, he barely flinched. He had been expecting someone to come; after all, though he wished it wasn't so soon after his last fight with Dudley.

He didn't expect the flash of photography to catch him where he was sitting on the edge of the street. Nor did he expect to hear another crack after the last one left. This one brought in someone he had never thought to see on the 'normal' street that was Privet Drive. One angry wizard named Severus Snape.

_A few minutes earlier_

Severus cursed The Boy mentally in his head as he strode from the castle to outside the Wards. After the latest debacle concerning Potter, the man wasn't surprised that Albus was pulling the child from his home earlier than expected. As it would be too much of a risk, not only for the teen himself but for the rest of the wizarding world, for him to stay where he was constantly seen wandering, it had been decided that he would be taken to Grimmauld Place.

What Severus had not expected, was that he was the one to be sent to collect the boy; which was why he was striding down to the Apparation point now, cursing roundly in his head and wishing he could strangle one bespectacled nuisance.

The dark robed man grit his teeth before turning sharply on the spot, vanishing from Hogwarts, and reappearing on Privet Drive with a loud crack both times. He had misjudged the point of entrance though, which was why he found himself staring into a pair of emerald eyes hidden behind round glasses. Instead of blushing or letting it seem as if he had made a mistake, he strode up to Potter in his normal angry way. He paused, however, when he noticed the boy's bruised eye and fat lip.

Sneering, he wondered who the brat had gotten on the wrong stick of. It couldn't have been the father, as no one besides the Order was quite sure where Potter lived. Shrugging away the circling thoughts, he asked the boy himself "You can't keep out of trouble, can you Potter? Tell me, what foolishness of yours prompted your opponent to bloody your face so magnificently?"

Harry grimaced to himself, and thought to himself unflattering things about certain Slytherins. Standing up, he said softly "Excuse me, sir, but it was no foolishness of mine besides simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time." He would neither say who had done this to him, nor why his back bore the punishment of starting a fight with the precious 'angel' Dudley. He was more curious about why Snape was there anyway, which he pointed out to the Professor in as polite a way as possible.

Severus blinked, and shrugged mentally. It didn't matter to him, really, who had fought with Potter. After all, it was unlikely that argument would continue in school. Though he supposed the boy really ought to be healed before being seen by another wizard. At the boy's question though, he growled softly. Pulling out a copy of the Daily Prophet (that day's in fact), he handed it to the brat.

Harry looked in surprise as he was given a newspaper. He looked askance at the man then opened it. He nearly dropped in when he saw what was on the front page: 'Fifth Year Ravenclaw Karen Miller Pregnant. Harry Potter is the Father.' Blanching with both fear and rage, his hands began to crumple the newspaper into a small, wrinkled mess unrecognizable as print.

(End Author's note: Okay, so this is short. I wanted to get this out there, and I have class in twenty-three minutes so I'm running out of time. Please R&R.)


	2. Leaving Privet Drive

(Author's note: Yes, I know, I'm bad for not updating anything lately. I haven't dropped Runner or any of the others, but I'm in just a really sleepy mood lately. Like as not, Runner will make me sleepier. Anyway, without further ado, on we go.)

_Last time:_

_Harry looked in surprise as he was given a newspaper. He looked askance at the man then opened it. He nearly dropped in when he saw what was on the front page: 'Fifth Year Ravenclaw Karen Miller Pregnant. Harry Potter is the Father.' Blanching with both fear and rage, his hands began to crumple the newspaper into a small, wrinkled mess unrecognizable as print._

Severus was quite surprised at the boy's actions. Though he had seen the child at his worst during Occulmency lessons last year, Potter had never gotten so angry that he was destructive. Not even when Severus was being his usual sneering self. Seeing the pure wrath in the teen's face and body was disconcerting, even though he knew that the other wore his emotions on his sleeve like a typical Gryffindor.

Harry sneered quietly to himself, not bothering to look up at Snape. Though the Professor didn't know it, Harry was barely controlling his rage by a thread. Indeed, he could feel his magic threatening to run away from him, causing him more trouble as well as likely hurting someone near-by.

His rage was somewhat justified, though the world didn't know exactly why. Harry would always stick by the fact that he was a virgin, if questioned, but there were two other reasons. One he would be sneered at by prudes and prejudiced people, the other would get him in major trouble with the Dursley's if it was ever found out. It was also embarrasing, and he'd rather take a licking any day than to suffer through the unwanted pity or attention he was sure to get.

He finally drew in his anger, suppressing it as much as possible. He then turned to Snape, and said softly "It is a lie, you know, sir. I don't know that girl, or any other for that matter." He locked eyes with his Professor, something he rarely ever did unless he was being entirely honest. The man knew how to make you squirm if he suspected you were lying, and it was incredibly difficult to maintain eye contact when that happened.

Severus noticed the difference in the air immediately when the boy appeared to calm down. Was the Potter brat really that powerful, that his anger would cause a change in the air like that? He had only ever felt that pressure when he was around Albus or the Dark Lord, though the latter it was more often. It was very rare for the gentle-hearted Albus to show such anger around his most trusted spy.

He was again surprised when the child said he didn't know any girl. Though some would take that a different way, and suspect that the brat was lying, Severus sensed somehow that Potter meant knowing in the biblical sense as well as knowing personally. Snape may not be overly religious, but his father had had a Bible or two around. Indeed, that was the expected bathroom reading for the Snape family during Severus' younger years.

Sighing mentally, he said in a voice lacking his usual sneer "Be that as it may, Potter, the Headmaster wants you brought to Headquarters for your own safety. I suggest you go and pack what you need, as you will not be returning here this summer." What Severus didn't add, was that the boy likely wouldn't be going back at all, not with the fact that he would be seventeen next summer and the wards would fall. It was too much of a risk.

Harry snorted silently, shrugged, and tucked the newspaper into his pocket. He states quietly "I could be wrong, but wouldn't it be safer if you were within the wards sir?" Turning, he heads towards the house, his entire body tense. The fear that had been almost overwhelmed with the anger was coming to the forefront now, and it was kicking in his 'fight or flight' instinct. He was still on the outs with the Dursleys after all.

As he walked he heard the distinct sound of boots upon pavement, and smirked. Even if the Professor wouldn't come into the house, he had conceded the fact that it would be better for both of them if Snape was not seen outside the wards. Those who did not have the permission of either the Headmaster or Harry himself could not see Number Four, or any being within the wards; which meant that Snape's position as a spy would not be compromised.

Ignoring the looks he got when he entered the house, he went up to his room to pack his trunk and let Hedwig fly to Grimmauld Place on her own. She would be safer that way; besides the fact that Harry suspected wizarding travel was not healthy for animals. So it was with a reluctant goodbye that he allowed the snowy owl to leave, before turning to his room and gathering up all his belongings, few though they were. He then tucked his wand into the holder he had bought through a catalog; after what happened just a month ago, Harry was not going to be separated from his wand.

Walking back downstairs, he was surprised to see the Professor glaring at the hall, while there was no sign of his relatives near-by. With the look that Snape was giving the interior, Harry didn't blame them. He would run and hide too if that look was given to him. Going to Snape, he stated that he was ready to go. He followed the man back outside beyond the wards, and grabbed the profferred arm tightly if reluctantly when told to do so. He suspected that he would rather touch his most hated Professor than be lost while Apparating.

Severus growled to himself mentally as he walked out of the wards and gave his arm so the boy could Side-Along. The information he had gathered just by talking for a few minutes with Petunia had been useful if brief. He didn't have enough evidence, but the Potions Master would bet his best cauldron that all was not as it seemed between Potter and the Dursleys. It was a disturbing revolution, and it made him angrier than normal. Once the boy was safe, he was going to have to explore it in more detail. However, he would do well to treat the boy's face, lest it seem as if he had hurt the precious Golden Boy.

(End Author's note: Okay, short I know, but better short than non-existent right? Please R&R.)


	3. Forest Cottage and Tentative Trust

(Author's note: Without further ado, on we go)

_Last time:_

_However, he would do well to treat the boy's face, lest it seem as if he had hurt the precious Golden Boy._

Harry grimaced at the feeling of being pulled through a tube, and forced himself not to topple over or throw up when they finally landed. He stood still for a moment, his face a bit green. When he finally regained his composure, he looked about, surprised to see that they weren't at Grimmauld Place or even London. Instead they seemed to be in a forest clearing.

In the clearing was a well, a wood box and a cottage big enough to be comfortable for a family of three. He blinked in confusion, and looked at his Professor in question. His assumption that Snape would be able to answer without him even asking the question was right on the target, as Snape said "A safe place, Potter, and that is all you need to know at the moment."

Half-way relieved that the man still was a tad caustic (as he had been acting a bit too human for Harry's taste the few times they had crossed paths since the Ministry disaster), he followed the older man into the cottage. He was tense and wary, as was appropriate for those who were outside their normal territory with someone they didn't quite trust.

Harry was pleasantly surprised when they entered the cottage. He had been expecting a ramshackle type deal; instead the cottage was warm and welcoming, somewhat like what he had pictured Grandmother's house to be in Little Red Riding Hood. Though Harry did not relax, he was less nervous as he and the Professor entered what appeared to be the kitchen. However, if he hoped that there was nobody else there besides them, he would have been sorely disappointed.

Severus grumbled to himself as he waited for the boy to finish looking around. Potter was far too curious for his tastes, and was causing a bit of a hold up. When the boy finally stopped looking around and followed him into the cottage, it was nearly the same effect as it had been outside. The Potions Master wondered why the teen was acting like he had never been in a country cottage before. Then again, Severus doubted the boy knew that the 'safe place' was more than just that. It was Severus' warded home, where he spent most of his time outside of school.

Though he knew that his godson usually visited him during the summer here at the cottage, as Draco was the only one allowed through the wards, the blond teen usually didn't come until much later in the summer. So it was with a nasty surprise that he entered the kitchen with Potter in tow to find Draco sitting at the kitchen table eating a bowl of fruit.

Severus tensed, ready to prevent a fight from occurring under his roof, when he was given another surprise. The two teens looked at each other briefly, and then wonder of wonders, half-grinned at the other! He blinked slowly, shrugged, and went to where he kept the bruise balm. If Draco and Potter were not about to kill each other then and there, he seriously doubted they would go at it that day.

Draco chewed quietly on a piece of apple, waiting for his godfather to come back from whatever errand had him away from his summer home. He hoped Sev wouldn't be too angry at him for being here early, but it was the only thing his mother could think of to prevent his father from bringing him before the Dark Lord. It had been planned, some time ago, that the summer he was sixteen he would be brought forward to be marked and entered into a service that was no better than being a slave to a mad man. As his father was coming home tonight from Azkaban, and would bring Draco directly to the Dark Lord afterward, it had been a near panicked Narcissa who had packed his things and sent him to stay at his godfather's until the start of school.

While all this was on his mind, the door opened. Looking up, Draco was somewhat pleased to see Sev, though he was nervous at the look on his face. He then noticed that there was someone with him, and that someone was Potter! Surprised, he looked at his rival, and then gave a half-smile. If Uncle Sev trusted Potter enough to Apparate him inside the wards, then he wasn't going to protest it. After all, the raven haired boy was okay once you got to know him, and got past the fact that he was just a tad too kind hearted and foolhardy for his own good.

Harry looked at Draco warily, and then returned the half-grin, his green eyes glittering slightly. Though he would never tell Ron this (though he had mentioned it to Hermione who was a tad more forgiving), he had somewhat befriended his once bitter enemy. After all, what was a teen to do when his hated rival caught him in an embarrassing situation, yet gave his word never to tell? And Draco had kept that promise, and a tentative trust had begun to burgeon between the two, though they still occasionally fought like cats and dogs. Then again, that was only to be expected of rivals; as long as neither got hurt, their friendship would remain unbroken if hidden.

(End Author's note: Bit of a cliffy, I think. Hope you guys like. Tell me what you think about the actions of Harry and Draco? Their relationship will be explained at a later date, trust me. Please R&R, it keeps the author fed ^.^)


	4. Horrified Discovery

(Author's note: Okay, I am surprised at how well received this story is. I wonder if it ran as long, would match MtMtE for Reviews? Ah well, without further ado, on we go.)

_Last time:_

_Then again, that was only to be expected of rivals; as long as neither got hurt, their friendship would remain unbroken if hidden._

Draco watched Harry quietly, noticing that the other boy looked the worse for wear after his month at home. With a sigh, he asked "Dudley again?" Harry nodded, pulling a grimace which Draco echoed. He knew, no better, what likely had happened if Harry got into a fight with his obese cousin. After all, it had happened on occasion to him, though it had been more to the fact that Draco had had to act the perfect Malfoy scion and not get into trouble.

Ignoring the feelings that thinking of the past always brought up, he stated "You really ought to tell Professor Snape everything; unless you want to go to school with more scars?" He raised an eyebrow, but Harry was spared answering when Sev came back to them with a jar of bruise balm in his hand and a cleaning cloth and water in the other.

Severus sighed quietly, glancing between the teens with a careful eye. Neither seemed to be getting into trouble, but that could change in the blink of an eye. He nodded towards a seat, motioning that Potter should sit down.

As the boy did so, Severus put down the items he was carrying. He then got to work cleaning and healing the child's face, professionally if not overtly gentle. Like all who deal with subjects that could result in injury, the Potions Master had needed to study Healing to obtain his Mastery. Minerva as well as Lupin had also taken on that task, as their jobs were risky at best and outright dangerous at worst. Mentally shrugging off all thoughts on his Mastery, he concentrated on the task at hand. It was with satisfaction that he watched the last of the scrapes and bruises disappear under the special balm made for that purpose.

As he finished his ministrations, he asked: "Are there any other injuries I should know about, Mr. Potter?" Now why had he asked that? He put it off as not wishing the boy to get an infection if he had any open wounds hidden under that horrid outfit of his. Honestly, didn't the child care about appearances? Perhaps it was some awful new fad: to wear the baggiest, worst conditioned clothes one could find. He thought to himself 'Muggles' as he waited for the boy's answer.

Harry quickly looked away, avoiding the Professor's eyes. He said softly "No, sir." He hoped he hadn't blanched, because it felt like he had. He glanced at Draco, who was grimacing at his blatant lie. He was surprised as Draco got up, and moved over to him. He stiffened as Draco went behind, and whispered a sorry to him.

Draco grimaced at the lie Harry had given. It was too obvious, but it seemed as if his godfather was going to pass it off as shame. Sighing mentally, he got up, and approached Harry. He then went behind him, knowing that he was doing a risky thing. He whispered "Sorry, Harry." He then prodded Harry in the back; it wasn't hard, but he knew that it would be hard enough. He hated to do it, but he didn't want to see his friend suffer anymore than he had to.

Harry bit back a cry of agony, but was unable to stop a strangled gasp from escaping him. Merlin, but he was going to kill Draco for this. He knew why it had been done, but it didn't meant he enjoyed it. Especially now that Snape's eyes were sharp on him, taking in his pale face and pained expression with expert eyes.

Severus turned as he heared the gasp, and was somewhat startled to note the look of sheer agony upon Potter's face. He growled under his breath, then stated sharply "Mr. Malfoy, back to your seat. I will talk to you later about this." Draco nodded, and scooted back to where he'd been sitting. Oddly, he looked contrite, instead of self-satisfied as Severus had half expected him to.

Turning to Potter, he said "I do not appreciate lies, Mr. Potter, particularly if it's the welfare of my students at stake. Now, I will give you till three to start taking off your shirt on your own. If you do not, I will vanish it so that I may treat whatever wounds you are hiding."

Harry gulped, and looked pleadingly up at Snape. When the man started counting, he struggled out of his long-sleeved shirt. He hissed under his breath as the removing tore open several of the whip marks on his back. He looked to the floor when the shirt was off, his face red with shame. This summer was just getting better and better, he thought miserably.

Severus walked around to see Potter's back, not seeing any overt wounds on the front, though there was plenty of bruises to match the ones that had been on the boy's face. However, when he caught sight of the mess the back was, he stopped short. He had never, in his entire career, seen such a mangled back. Scars upon scars from the neck down to the waistband of the boy's pants marred what should have been a smooth back.

He could also see fresh wounds bleeding freely. He knew those type of wounds all too well: a beating from either a belt, a whip or a switch. Someone had been abusing Potter, and Severus suspected he knew just who it was. He grimaced mentally as he felt any remaining misconceptions shatter, and all the puzzle pieces he'd been handed over the years fall into place. Severus felt shame, at his actions, and inactions, over the years; he swore that he would find the boy safety, even at the sacrifice of his own.

End Author's note: I know, it's taken me a long time to finish this chapter, but I did. Hope you liked it. Did I make Severus' realization accurate? Please R&R.


	5. Healing and Flashbacks

(Author's note: Okay, so someone asked when I was going to update Draconic Laws, as well as when I'm going to do the sequel. Just so you know peeps, I love the reviews and that you want more from me, but I have a schedule for my stories. This one is the one that hasn't been updated in the longest time, then Addiction of Another Sort, etc. And I WON'T be making another Sequel until I have finished one of the ones I'm in the middle of. So, without further ado, on we go with chapter 5. And those of you on , you're getting lucky as I'm finally putting this up!)

_Last time:_

_Severus felt shame, at his actions, and inactions, over the years; he swore that he would find the boy safety, even at the sacrifice of his own._

Severus quietly summoned a cloth, disinfectant, more of the healing balm, and some anti-scarring. He said softly as he dabbed the cloth in the disinfectant "This will sting, Potter." As he treated the boy's back, he flinched mentally at each hiss of pain. He remembered all too easily the sting of both the belt and the healing process. He didn't know how he'd missed the child's obvious neglect and abuse. All the signs were obvious: skinny, undersized, second hand clothing and a distinct lack of respect for rules meant for his safety.

With care and precision, he made sure that each welt would heal cleanly, with no more scarring. He was soon finished, and putting away his healing potions as the boy struggled back into his shirt. He was glad to note Draco helping him, despite Potter's obvious reluctance to accept more help than he'd already been given.

Now that he had finished healing the boy, he was stumped on what to do next. He had simply planned on bringing the teen to Grimmauld Place, and leaving him there for the others to deal with. However, with the new knowledge he had gained over the past hour, that felt very much like kicking a man while he was down…or worse, kicking an already injured puppy.

Harry grimaced as he pulled his shirt back on. Even with the belt marks healed, his skin still ached a little. He reasoned that it was because the whipping seemed to go right through him to leave an imprint on his nerves. He was going to hurt for at least the next week.

His gaze was drawn to the Professor, his green eyes glittering with curiosity. Draco he could understand, as the boy hadn't learned how to deal with things without tattling. Besides, what the other teen had done was something a friend should do, despite the pain and embarrassment. The Professor, however, was the strange one.

He knew that his back needed to be healed, or at least disinfected, before he was consigned to weeks at a time alone. But the healing process had been gentle, almost kind. It had left him unnerved, and questioning his prior thoughts on the dour man. He decided that he needed to see a shrink, if he was reconsidering his opinion on the Professor who claimed to hate him.

Draco sighed mentally, watching Severus move around in his 'I'm-thinking-so-don't-bother-me-unless-you-want-to-be-made-into-potion-ingredients' pacing. Harry was still sitting on the stool he'd been directed to while being healed. He could cut the tension with a knife, and yet that tension would be potentially helpful to his friend.

His mind turned inward as he reflected on the odd circumstances that had led him and Harry to be friends.

_Flashback_

_Draco sneered to himself as he headed up to the library. He hated to admit it, but Severus' last assignment was a doozy, even for him (and Granger, though he'd never say so aloud). Thus it was that the time between the last class of the day, and dinner, found him going to do some research on the blasted essay._

_He was about half-way there, having decided to take a shortcut when he heard murmured voices coming from a nearby bathroom. He was never sure afterward, how he had managed to end up on the second floor near Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. That was where he was, however, and he distinctly heard two voices. One was Myrtle's definite whine; the other was that of a teenaged boy whose voice was beginning to change. It sounded like the boy was in pain._

_Draco, who had a reputation of being a bastard that reveled in others' pain to upkeep, decided to find out who was in the bathroom. If the information was juicy enough, he could definitely use it to get a few favors in. Maybe the other boy could hold his backpack for a month, he chuckled evilly to himself._

_Sneaking up to the bathroom, he slowly opened the door to make sure the damned hinges wouldn't creak. What he saw therein was to change his life forever. Potter was standing in the middle of the room, with his back to the door. Myrtle was hovering next to him, doing her ghostly best to comfort the Gryffindor who was obviously sobbing incoherently. He then managed to sob out a spell, flicking his wand at himself "__F__ertilitatem Moderare_". _ The tip of Potter's wand glowed blue, causing another sob to escape the teen._

_Draco was astounded, and horrified, by what he had found out. He knew what the spell was, what pure-blood didn't? For the spell to turn up blue meant that something horrible had happened to the teen. Unable to restrain himself any longer, Draco walked into the bathroom; only to stop abruptly as he found himself at wand-point._

_Potter growled as he saw Draco. He spat "What do you want, Malfoy? To use what you just saw to blackmail me?" Draco shuddered at the crazed light in Potter's emerald eyes. He knew that, even with the fact that Potter didn't know enough spells to really kill him, he could be made quite uncomfortable if he didn't tread carefully._

"_Not quite, Potter. Unlike the older Slytherins, or even my father, I don't agree with using someone's torture against them," Draco responded in a calm voice. He reflected that it was true, what he had said to Potter. He could laugh at someone's misfortune, if it involved minor school pettiness. But whatever Potter had been through obviously equated to torture, and that was just a bit too much for Draco to use._

_Potter blinked quietly, asking in a surprised squeak "You'll keep quiet?" As Draco nodded, he reflected that he had made a life-changing decision on his own, with no help. He wondered if his godfather would be proud of him._

_End Flashback_

Draco was startled out of his musings when Severus said "Alright, you two. We're heading to Hogwarts, as that is currently the safest place for both of you. You know my password, Draco." Draco nodded and got up to head for the fireplace.

Reaching up to the mantle, he grabbed the Floo powder pot, scooped a handful, and handed it to Harry. He then threw down the powder into the fire. Stepping into the now green flames, he cried "Snape Quarters, Hogwarts, Venenum!"

(End Author's note: Alright everyone, I will leave it at that so I can get this chapter posted. I hope you like, please R&R, and be patient with my Latin, as I never took it in school.)


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